Mumps - Symptom, Treatment And Causes

Parotid glands are one of the three pairs of salivary glands and are located in front and below the ears. The parotid glands are affected by mumps and get swollen because of a virus. Both or one of the glands may swell up due to mumps. No treatment aimed at mumps is available. Vaccination for the prevention of mumps is important. The mumps virus causes mumps and can spread easily from one person to another by saliva which is infected. Mumps may also be contracted by inhaling saliva droplets from a person who is infected and has just coughed or sneezed. Sharing cups or utensils with a person having mumps can also spread mumps. Mumps doesn’t usually have complications, but they are serious and must be dealt with by a medical professional.

swelling and inflammation in some body parts like:

• Testicles- It is also called orchitis and both or one of the testes get enlarged in men who have attained puberty. It is painful and rarely causes sterility.
• Breasts and ovaries- Females upon reaching puberty are affected. Fertility generally doesn’t get disrupted.
• Brain- Encephalitis (inflammation of brain) may be caused by mumps. It may cause neurological problems and may later on be fatal.
• CNS- Meningitis may occur if the virus affects the central-nervous system as it spreads via the bloodstream.
• Pancreas- The pancreas may get affected by mumps virus as well and vomiting and nausea may follow.
• Loss of hearing- In some rare cases, mumps may lead to permanent loss of hearing, in both or one of the ears.

If the doctor thinks that your child or you may have mumps, you may need to get your blood tested. The immune system makes antibodies for fighting of an infection. A blood test will detect antibodies formed against the virus. Recovery from mumps is usually fast and happens within two weeks.